The control pads take their cues from the early ergonomic pads used by the SNES or Sega Mega Drive, & this, in my view, is where the humble PS won out over the Nintendo 64 & still wins out over the Xbox. Speaking about control pads in lieu of program specs or even games may appear crass, but think about this; the controller is the part of you that connects to the game. It is the interface between man & machine. Why else would they now come equipped with rumble effects & all sorts of gadgetry?
Since bursting in to homes in 1994, the Sony PlayStation has taken the world of video games by storm. It doesn't appear poised to finish there either, as PlayStation's current incarnation, the PS3, has sold over 40 million units worldwide since 2006. The general design of the PlayStation model has remained faithful to the original brief, a next-gen, CD-based take on the popular cartridge-based models of the day.
The fact that someone can pick up a PS of any model & be familiar with the controls is a major contributing factor to PlayStation's longevity. The other was a free-for-all owner that Sony wisely employed back in the 90's. Sony invited someone & everybody to design games for them, which led to a massive inflow of fresh ideas, designers & innovations (as well as fuelling a secondary industry of game magazines & online reviewers). So, when Sega or Nintendo had 50 or so games on their fledgling devices, PlayStation adverts confidently emblazoned their logo with the tagline '200 Games' it didn't matter that plenty of these games were complete & utter rubbish, what mattered was that first-time game enthusiasts were spoiled for choice.
Whereas other console's controllers can be hard-edged, square (any old-timers keep in mind the Dreamcast? What was up with that!?) & have buttons placed far apart to reach one-handed, or reach in a rush without A LOT of practice; the PlayStation has always boasted a pad that fits right there in your palms & can be adapted to suit any number of innovative styles of button-bashing. Much to my friends' irritation, I assure you.
It's to be said that PlayStation's M.O has not changed significantly since then. It is still the most cost-effective, user-friendly, & widely owned system around. It still boasts a massive collection of games (a lovely plenty of of which are regrettably still arse) & it still has the unnerving Bowie-esque ability to re-invent itself every few years without changing what made us love it in the first place.
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